Scholarships and Awards

Family and Consumer Sciences offers scholarships to current students and students entering the department as freshmen or transfer students. The application serves for all departmental awards and only one application per student is needed to apply for all departmental scholarships. Applicants will be considered for all scholarships for which they are deemed eligible. Normally, recipients are limited to one scholarship award per year.

The 2023-2024 Scholarship Applications are below.

How to Apply

Current Students

Recipients must be full-time students with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences. Recipients must have an established Illinois State grade point average. Applications are open November 1 and will close January 31, 2023.

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Freshman Students

Recipients must be entering as a full-time freshman student with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences. Applications are open November 1 and will close April 15, 2023.

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Transfer Students

Recipients must be full-time transfer students with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences. Applications are open November 1 and will close April 15, 2023.

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Current Student Scholarships

Barbara M. Clauser Scholarship
Charlotte E. Talkington Scholarship
Dora L. Munson Scholarship
Educational Opportunity Scholarship
Hattie Lundgren Scholarship
Jesse Rambo and Florence Runyon Scholarship
John A., Mabel E. and Jacqueline Q. Karch Scholarship
Karen S. Morton Scholarship
Lois R. Jett Scholarship
Mae Warren Feeney Scholarship
Margret Ann Hayden Endowed Scholarship in Fashion Design
Mary Scheeler Crane Scholarship
Riggs Scholarship
Sharon and Parker Lawlis Scholarship
Sommer Scholarship
Susan R. Hoblit Scholarship
Tricia Widner Johnson Memorial Scholarship

Criteria required:

Graduate or undergraduate student with at least sophomore standing (no less than 30 credit hours completed at the time of application)
Declared major (or applied to major) in FCS
Be a full-time student
Have at least a 3.0 GPA overall
Financial need will be taken into consideration

Criteria required:

At least 60 credit hours completed
Declared FCS Teacher Education major
Demonstrated community service and/or leadership qualities and experience

Criteria required:

GPA of at least 2.5
Declared FCS major with sophomore, junior or senior standing in the fall semester
Must show promise and commitment to pursuing careers in education either in a traditional school setting or in a non-school learning setting
The potential to make a positive influence on society
Possess strong principles and be of high character
Demonstrate financial need

Criteria required:

Be currently enrolled as an FCS major
Graduate or undergraduate student with at least sophomore standing (no less than 30 credit hours)
Be in good academic standing
Secure recommendations from two FCS faculty members

Criteria required:

Graduate or undergraduate student majoring in FCS
Be actively involved in community volunteer activities

Criteria required:

FCS major with senior standing by fall semester and have at least 3.0 overall GPA
Must demonstrate financial need
Evidence of campus activities and leadership
Demonstrate potential for professional success

Criteria required:

Student in Family and Consumer Sciences. Preference given to FCS Teacher Education and Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics majors
Preference given to sophomore, junior, or senior standing
Demonstrated academic achievement by having at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale
Be of good character and have two references from faculty members

Criteria required:

Have at least 60 hours completed at the time of application
Declared FCS major in Human Development and Family Science with a minimum 2.5 GPA overall
Financial need may be taken into consideration

Criteria required:

Upcoming senior in good standing at ISU
Major in Fashion Design and Merchandising
Maintain an overall 3.7 GPA
Use scholarship for educational/housing expenses
Demonstrate involvement in extracurricular activities, civic organizations, and/or community service
Preference is given to students with strong interest and expertise in one or more of the following:
- Fashion history and garment conservation
- Garment construction and tailoring
- Apparel design through flat pattern and draping

Criteria required:

Must be an FCS major
Sophomore, junior, or senior standing (at least 30 credits at Illinois State) fall semester
Maintain at least a 2.0 overall GPA
Demonstrate financial need

Criteria required:

Must be enrolled in good standing at Illinois State University
Demonstrate academic achievement, as evidenced by a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or as a transfer student a comparable GPA at their previous institution
Must have completed at least 30 college credit hours with sophomore status and majoring in Fashion Design and Merchandising

Criteria required:

Be a student in good standing at Illinois State and maintain at least a 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale
Major in an area of specialization in FCS
Use the scholarship for educational and/or housing expenses

Criteria required:

Student must be at a grade level of: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior
Student must be majoring in Fashion Design and Merchandising

Criteria required:

Be an undergraduate student in good standing and have completed at least 60 credit hours, having a GPA of at least 3.0
Major in teacher education in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, if no applicants meet these criteria, other students majoring in FCS will be considered
Demonstrate financial need

Criteria required:

Undergraduate FCS Major with a 2.75 minimum GPA
Involvement in school and/or community activities
Financial need will be taken into consideration

Criteria required:

Major in (or have applied to major in) FCS with an emphasis in Interior Design
Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (if currently an Illinois State student)
Demonstrate financial need

Criteria required:

Applicants should be a declared major in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program
Demonstrate passion, contribution, commitment, and/or leadership within the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, FDMA, FDMA Fashion Show, the Lois Jett Historic Costume Collection or the apparel industry
Have an overall GPA of 3.0

Freshman Scholarships

My Mentors Scholarship
FCS Recruitment and Retention Scholarship
Riggs Scholarship
Susan R. Hoblit Scholarship
Mary Scheeler Crane Scholarship

Each candidate for My Mentors Scholarship must be or have:

Accepted for enrollment at Illinois State University.
An incoming freshman with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences and must remain in that major for the duration of the scholarship.
Demonstrated financial need.
Demonstrated community service and/or leadership qualities while in high school.
Preference will be given to a student who is a member of Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).

Additional qualifications:

One new freshman recipient, with a declared FCS major, will be selected each year.
To be considered for any scholarship that lists financial need as a selection criterion, applicants must have a current FAFSA filed with the Financial Aid Office and must sign the financial release form included in the scholarship application packet.
Scholarship awards are applied directly to the recipient’s Student Account for the fall 2019 semester after the fall 2019 Census Day.

Each candidate for the Family and Consumer Sciences Recruitment and Retention Endowed Scholarship must be or have:

Accepted for enrollment at Illinois State University.
An incoming freshman majoring in one of the programs in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Illinois State University with preference given to a Teacher Education major. This scholarship is renewable for a maximum of an additional three years as long as the student continues to meet the required qualifications.
Demonstrated academic achievement as evidenced by a comparable cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for incoming freshmen. This cumulative GPA must be maintained all of the subsequent years to continue to qualify for renewal of this scholarship for a maximum of three additional years.
Demonstrated financial need.
Demonstrated high school involvement in leadership activities, community service, and/or achieved awards and honors.

Additional qualifications:

One new freshman recipient, with a declared FCS major, will be selected each year.
Recipients must remain a declared major in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in order to continue receiving the scholarship. If the recipient changes her/his major, s/he will forfeit the scholarship.
To be considered for any scholarship that lists financial need as a selection criterion, applicants must have a current FAFSA filed with the Financial Aid Office and must sign the financial release form included in the scholarship application packet.
Scholarship awards are applied directly to the recipient’s Student Account for the fall 2019 semester after the fall 2019 Census Day.

Each candidate for the Riggs Scholarship must be or have:

Student must be at a grade level of: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior
Student must be majoring in Fashion Design and Merchandising

Criteria required:

Be a student in good standing at Illinois State and maintain at least a 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale
Major in an area of specialization in FCS
Use the scholarship for educational and/or housing expenses

Criteria required:

Major in (or have applied to major in) FCS with an emphasis in Interior Design
Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (if currently an Illinois State student)
Demonstrate financial need

Transfer Scholarships

FCS Transfer Scholarship

Students must have at least 30 semester hours completed from another institution and be transferring as a full-time students with a major in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Illinois State University.

FCS Department Awards

Past FCS Student Award Recipients